Do you think Jackson gets traded? Do you like how AJ Smith runs the team?

Unless Jackson lowers his contract demands ($30M guaranteed?!) I don't see how he's getting traded. Seattle has already passed on him and rumor has it Washington is now not interested.

If Danny Snyder is unwilling to fork out the cash, you know something is wrong.

I absolutely love how AJ Smith runs the team. He's one of the best GMs out there IMO. The only thing I don't like about him is the way he airs dirty laundry in the media. I guess that contributes to his no-nonsense, hard-nose persona but I wish he would use more "coach speak" when dealing with the media.

I don't know if it's an indictment of the rest of the teams in the AFC West, or a matter of SD being awesome, but no AFC West team has won four AFC West titles in a row since Oakland 1972-1976, until SD did it last year. And only SD has won 5 AFC West titles in six years.

I don't know if it's an indictment of the rest of the teams in the AFC West, or a matter of SD being awesome, but no AFC West team has won four AFC West titles in a row since Oakland 1972-1976, until SD did it last year. And only SD has won 5 AFC West titles in six years.

I'd say it's more an indictment of the rest of the teams. KC and Oakland have been plain awful and we trip on our ***** near the finish line every year. We've given both the Chargers and the Chiefs a trip to the playoffs courtesy of our consistent mailing it in.

Martz feeling the love with Cutler
New Bears offensive coordinator as enamored as ever with QB

Jay Cutler talks with Lance Briggs on the sidelines against the Raiders. (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images / August 22, 2010)

8:43 p.m. CDT, August 24, 2010

For anyone wondering how the Jay Cutler-Mike Martz marriage is progressing, the honeymoon appears to be ongoing, based on the way the Bears offensive coordinator gushed Tuesday.

"There's nothing about Jay that I worry about,'' Martz said. "I just wish all of you could know him like I know him right now. I know that this sounds syrupy and sappy and all that, but every day that I get to know him as a man and as a player he's pretty unusual now.

"He has great character and class and dignity with the players. Professionally, he's trying to do everything just exactly the way we ask him to do it. He's brilliant. He's not smart, he's brilliant.''
If only Martz could speak as highly of the offensive line.

Surprisingly, Martz did not lash out — at least in front of the media — about his line allowing Cutler to be sacked five times in the first half of Saturday night's loss to the Raiders. Left tackle Chris Williams struggled miserably, surrendering three sacks.

"I think with Chris, it's an aberration,'' Martz said. "I see him every day out here. I don't know what happened to him. When I look at him on tape, the technique and everything is just not who he is.

"You're always concerned when you have sacks,'' Martz continued. "… But from what we see in practice every day against what's a real good front, I think they'll be just fine. I really do.''

Cutler chuckled when asked Tuesday about displaying his mobility.

"I don't think we want to use the scrambling abilities the way we did on Saturday,'' he said. "We want to try to incorporate some nakeds and some bootlegs and stuff, maybe not in the manner that we did.

"The offensive line, they had some struggles. They were in the right spots. It was just more of a lack of setting correctly and stuff like that. They're going to take care of it. I'm not worried about it. This week (against the Cardinals) is going to be a good test for them.''

The Bears have as many as 37 different protection schemes in their arsenal, but don't expect Martz or offensive line coach Mike Tice to start exhausting their resources now. Plus Tice said the line has not had a true opportunity to develop cohesion with right guard Lance Louis in and out with an ankle injury.

"We have chosen to let our players just work and get better,'' Tice said. "We're still evaluating our players. I've only been around Chris for a couple of months. I have to find out all of his weaknesses. I have to find out where I can help him, where I can get him better.

"If I guy has a bad night, technique-wise, you continue to push him to stay focused on his technique when he's tired, stressed, whatever's bothering him. … When things are going badly, technique wins.''

I don't know if it's an indictment of the rest of the teams in the AFC West, or a matter of SD being awesome, but no AFC West team has won four AFC West titles in a row since Oakland 1972-1976, until SD did it last year. And only SD has won 5 AFC West titles in six years.

So basically they dominated division when the other teams were down, but couldn't win a Superbowl.

Holy crap Mike Martz is ridiculous.
I wonder if he gives Cutler bj's every day after practice... sheesh.

I like Martz the guy and he can pretty creative as an offensive coordinator. He does need someone to tell him "no" or he'll get crazy. If Martz can teach Cutler to have some restraint and learn to play within himself, he could realize his potential. Otherwise Cutler will continue to flatline. With that line and that offense in it's first year, though, I expect Jay to throw upwards of 30 picks this year.

I don't know if it's an indictment of the rest of the teams in the AFC West, or a matter of SD being awesome, but no AFC West team has won four AFC West titles in a row since Oakland 1972-1976, until SD did it last year. And only SD has won 5 AFC West titles in six years.

It's a little of both. They got lucky to get in in 2008 but the rest of the years they've earned it, though the rest of the division could have presented more of a challenge.

I like Martz the guy and he can pretty creative as an offensive coordinator. He does need someone to tell him "no" or he'll get crazy. If Martz can teach Cutler to have some restraint and learn to play within himself, he could realize his potential. Otherwise Cutler will continue to flatline. With that line and that offense in it's first year, though, I expect Jay to throw upwards of 30 picks this year.

I think Martz has helped more on the WR side than with Cutler. They are running crisper routes and not giving up on plays. Haine was tearing up duh bears secondary the day I went to camp they really seemed to work on the routes and finishing plays but Hester wasn't on the field that day.

Last year there were guys who were not the primary target not running crisp routes or going all out. This year ALL the WR's are more into the plays and vs Oakland when a play in the redzone broke down due to the rush Cutler was able to buy time while Knox worked the back of the endzone for a TD. Last year that would have been a bad pick.

Am I the only one in the NFL world that doesn't quite understand the hype surrounding Vince Young? Um, he's still going to suck, he had a decent run at the end of last year but I am not convinced he can carry it through the entire season.

Am I the only one in the NFL world that doesn't quite understand the hype surrounding Vince Young? Um, he's still going to suck, he had a decent run at the end of last year but I am not convinced he can carry it through the entire season.

I'm with you on that one, it's a wait and see approach with Young. I think he's just as erratic as they come.

Besides, isn't this the year that Kerry Collins is supposed to be the starter? They trade off every year it seems.

The passing game has been modified to do more quick passes. Rivers hasn't attempted a deep pass yet. No doubt this is to take the pressure off of Dombrowski at LT and because they don't have Jackson to throw to.

On defense, Cason and Cam Thomas, who both need to contribute big, are having a good pre-season so far. The d-line rotation they have now looks very strong as they've been stuffing the run so far (#1 rushing defense). The pass rush still looks to be anemic though, unless they bring a heavy blitz. The one concern that I have is that Jammer hasn't looked like his solid self so far. I don't know what's going on there.

But overall I think the defense should be an improvement over last year, if they can continue to stop the run.

In a strange way, it might be a blessing in disguise that Jackson and McNeill are holding out. I've been waiting for a more ball control offense from them. And it will play well with the defense being strong against the run. Maybe a little return to Martyball, if you will.

Am I the only one in the NFL world that doesn't quite understand the hype surrounding Vince Young? Um, he's still going to suck, he had a decent run at the end of last year but I am not convinced he can carry it through the entire season.